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Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
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  • Beverly Goater

Kirkenes to Bergen by boat

The Havila vessel Capella will be taking us from close to the Russian border south to Bergen, visiting many ports on the way. The scenery will be fabulous. Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 2, 2025
    Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    Beautiful scatter of islands coming in to Bergen
    Who wouldn't like their own house on their own island?Not my favourite thing but highly ScandinavianOur last plane, parked up at KirkenesOooh, I'd love to see a Siberian Jay.Winter and no transport to the hotel. Felt a bit like "Race across the World"!

    Aberdeen to Kirkenes

    May 2 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 3 °C

    Three flights with Wideroe via Bergen and Tromso. It’s still winter up here at the top of Norway. Much snow still present with sparse birch forest. Everything (food, alcohol and taxi) as expensive as expected but so different from home that it’s really exciting to be here.
    There will be 24 hrs of daylight with the sun only just below the horizon between about 21:00hrs and 02:00hr.
    Currently abed and watching a programme about the making of the series, “Vera”, based on the books written by Ann Cleeves, wife of much-missed birder, the late Tim Cleeves.    Read more

  • Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    Havila vessel, Capella, arrives at Kirkenes
    ...and Bev films it.A group returns from the dog-sleighingVardo, Norway's most easterly outpost.We can see where we are on this map.Such soft muzzles! Feeding on lichen.1We all love a pup!1After sunset. Just about as dark as it gets.3A cool place to sleep.Many amazing ice sculptures in the snow hotel.

    Kirkenes to Hammerfest

    May 4 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 0 °C

    First leg of the journey north and west via seven small ports including Vardo, Norway’s easternmost town. NW Russia visible as we went. A few whale blows seen ahead of the vessel and one good view of a long back and small dorsal fin, possibly a full-sized Minke. Before departure, while RDG chilled with coffee and binoculars on board, Beverly met dogs, pups, reindeer and sleighs and went for a ride. She also visited the Ice Hotel nearby.
    The ship Capella, with electric motors, moves with almost total silence and no vibration, and the gentle movement through the waves is very conducive to sleep.
    No sign of the much-wanted Steller’s Eider but three Shelducks May have been a good record this far north and a cliffy island near Vardo was thronged with thousands of Common Guillemots and a few Puffins. Bev’s favourite birds have been the Long-tailed Ducks, a few of which have flown close by the boat.
    We are due in Hammerfest in an hour and will have time for a wander. Some stops have been for just 15 minutes.    Read more

  • Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    Capella berthed at Hammerfest
    Avalanche protection above HammerfestThreading between the islands on the way to TromsoThe sister passing bySnow Bunting - nice to have as a garden bird.Hammerfest - re-built1Old man of Hammerfest.Like Sparrows

    Hammerfest to Tromso

    May 4 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ -1 °C

    Hammerfest is Norway’s most northerly town,almost totally destroyed during WWII. Great to leave the boat here for an hour of fresh air with Snow Buntings thronging the houses like sparrows. Colourful houses, typical of Norway, makes many of Scotland’s dwellings seem very dreary.
    Several short stops later and we are on our way to Tromsø where we will visit its famous “new” cathedral for midnight music.
    Bird highlight of the day, in spite of lovely buntings, was a third winter Iceland Gull with Herring Gulls at Oksfjord.
    We have just passed sister ship Havila Pollux on her way north (more easterly really). Much sounding of horns…    Read more

  • Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    Location of today's adventure
    Tromso Domkirke where the concert was heldTromso Cathedral, where it wasn'tCoastguard (Kystvakt) vessels at Sortland bring back memories of expeditions to Bear Island for RDGThese Sortland children sang for us on-board and left us at StockmarknesSome of the work by Norwegian artists on show at HenningsvaerMore.And moreBeverly amongst the artCod is big in these partsCod hanging out to dry. Called "stock fish"A "record shot" of Orcas with an attendant melee of foraging gulls

    Tromso and the Lofotens

    May 5 in Norway ⋅ 🌙 4 °C

    A very beautifully sung (tenor) and played (flute, piano and organ) midnight concert in Tromso last night but in the Old Cathedral and not the famous new one.
    Today we awoke in Harstad and threaded our way through fjords to Sortland, Stockmarkness and Svolaer from where we took a bus through the Lofotens. What a place to have lived and made a living in days gone by - no wonder the Vikings invaded mellow and fertile Orkney and beyond!
    Interesting art gallery and museum in Henningsvaer but the highlight was (after photographing drying cod and identifying Redwing by its very unfamiliar call) watching a pod of about 10 Orcas of all ages hunting fish just offshore. Two tall dorsal finned bulls, two or three full-sized females and the rest smaller juveniles.
    Capella was rejoined at Stamsund halfway down the Lofotens chain and we are now on our way to Bodo and beyond. Still north of the Arctic Circle but not for much longer…    Read more

  • Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    Halfway up (or down) the coast of Norway
    The edifice marking the Arctic CircleA bit of colour2The so-called Seven Sisters1A Black Guillemot foraging in the harbour

    Crossing the Arctic Circle

    May 6 in Norway ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    A quiet day for us without formal expeditions. A smooth journey in lovely weather where absolutely no movement of the boat could be detected with eyes closed. We crossed the latitude of the Arctic Circle at about 08:45. RDG carried on eating breakfast while Beverly went out and photographed the on-land marker.
    Bodo had been visited for an hour during the small hours but neither of us surfaced from our deep slumbers to notice it. Five more ports are on today’s agenda and we are now at the penultimate, Bronnoysund, where we have been able to walk about for nearly two hours. A few birds about - White Wagtail, Fieldfare and Chiffchaff newly arrived from the south and nicest of all, a Black Guillemot diving just below us in the harbour. These birds are very common up here.    Read more

  • Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    1The famous mountain with a hole
    Worth the money - probably!The menu"Asparges" soupHalibutMany lovely properties like this oneWharfeside propertiesPretty buildings and many electric scootersOverlooking beautiful TrondheimThe Cathedral, surrounded by tasteful green spaceInside1Above - the OctagonWhere they hid the WWII subs. Entrances just round the corner.Travelling beyond TrondheimBenign sailing conditions for the whole journey. Don't worry, that's not Bev at the end of the clip!

    Trondheim south to Kristiansund

    May 7 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    After a superb 9-course meal with some excellent wine in the fine dining restaurant last night we slept a little fitfully and awoke to Beverly’s significant birthday as we berthed in Trondheim. A pre-breakfast coach tour of the city and its Cathedral followed. Typically Scandinavian, it was litter-free, with many people on foot and cycling and all looking fit and slim. Beautiful coloured and generally wooden houses with also some tasteful architecture.
    The cathedral, called the “Nidaros Cathedral” has been restored over more than a century and is impressive.
    More affecting for me, RDG, was seeing the “brutalist” concrete world war 2 submarine bunkers build by the Germans.
    Chiffchaffs and Fieldfares were seen in the park areas and many cowslips were in flower. Trees coming into leaf, and snow only present on far inland mountains.
    Rejoined Capella for breakfast and to continue south through wider seas and lower scattered islands than we had become used to in the north.
    Kristiansund ahead - the home town of the last visitor I spoke to at Doune Castle a few days ago.    Read more

  • Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    Tucked in at Kristiansund
    1Manoeuvring into harbourPretty Kirk and green spaceWharfeside buildings.Apartments with excellent balcony views.Clipfisk womanA rather nice drain coverJust another view of the harbourI think the land here is rising, post ice sheet, faster than sea level is rising.Our regular and comfortable viewpoint while travellingAnd behind us, our friendly Finnish bartender, supplier of birthday cocktails

    Kristiansund and beyond

    May 8 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Kristiansund was apparently the Clipfisk or Stockfish capital of Norway and has a statue of a woman holding one such fish. She seems to be the emblem of the place too, as I saw her on a rather nice iron drain cover.
    We had a two hour stop here and I, RDG, took a quick walk looking for birds in trees and bushes. A few Chiffchaffs sang, there was one male Blackcap and a few Greenfinches flew over, but little else. Pleasant to get fresh and cold air after the rather dry but comfortably warm interior of the boat.
    The harbour is very neatly tucked into a sheltered part of one of the three islands that house the city.
    The journey thereafter continued south, calm as ever but through some rain and poor visibility. A quite amazing scatter of very low islands to our west while high but snow-free hills were to the east.
    We were unaware of three brief stops through the night and having packed and then enjoyed a final on-board breakfast, Bergen is our next and final port of call in a few hours’ time.    Read more

  • Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    Goodbye Havila Capella
    The view from the window of our B&BSome of the dust scraped off one of the cupboardsSome of the lovely Bergen buildingsA rather striking monument to the seafarers of BergenWe had a drink at the world heritage site here

    A bit of bother in Bergen

    May 8 in Norway ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    On berthing at Bergen we found a “hop on hop off” city tour bus which we took to our air B and B in a beautiful part of the city close to the shore. Unfortunately the place was coated in more dust than I have ever seen in a house, causing me the wheeze and sneeze and the bedding left much to be desired too so we cancelled, got a refund and booked the Scandic City in town. An easy bus ride and so much better.
    The evening was spent enjoying the fantastic sights and sounds of Bergen and the World Heritage Site of the old Hanseatic port.    Read more

  • Kirkenes to Bergen by boat
    Multiple Bergen rooftops.
    Bergen from to top of the funicularA bit of browsing

    Bergen and home

    May 9 in Scotland ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    A lovely day spent exploring Bergen on foot and needing to buy something small for the odd family member. Prices so high compared to what we are used to at home that nothing seemed good or best value. We did get a few things though.
    Up to a fabulous viewpoint on the funicular railway which did seem like money quite well spent. We watched what I think was an Elk for a long time but I’m still confused by names and distribution of these animals. The name seems to be interchangeable for moose and I think it may be the same as the American Wapiti.
    Then bus to the airport and a Wideroe flight to Aberdeen, meeting the UK shore near to Loch of Strathbeg.
    Car retrieved from the car park and then we knew we were back on familiar territory when a drinks can was chucked out of the window of the car in front. Such a contrast with the cleanliness of the Nordic countries where such national pride is generally obvious.
    Nevertheless, always good to be home with the usual jobs piled up and waiting for us. Sea Eagles and Orcas wonderful but receding memories. Thumbs up for Norway and its people!    Read more

    Trip end
    May 9, 2025
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